Israeli Art, Yemin Moshe, Jerusalem
Shaul Shatz is a well known Jerusalem artist.
As of two years ago he was living in Jerusalem on the border of the Judean Desert. His family and the landscape that surrounded him, became his subject matter.
Shaul Shatz was born on Kibbutz Sarid in 1944.
He studied at Betzalel. He received a scholarship to go to Holland to continue his studies in art, after which he returned to Jerusalem.
He taught at the Bezalel department of art for two years, as well as at other schools in Israel.
Shaul has had many one man shows. He won the Sh. Ish Shalom prize (1987) and the Jerusalem prize (1902).
His paintings may be seen in the collections of the Israel Museum, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Staedlik Museum in Amsterdam, as well as in many private collections.
Shaul Shatz became an observant Jew. We see his personal, religious inspiration and his faith in the paintings of the hills of Judea and Jerusalem. The holy city is, for Shaul, the heart of the world, its physical geography and its spiritual and cultural civilization.
He also paints the hills of the Gallilee.
The strong brush strokes and the dashes of color, changing and repeating themselves, form the breathing, dynamic, moving landscape. The deserted, barren landscape collides with the fertile living hills in his paintings. Although the landscape appears to be quiet the colors give it powerful movement. The seeming monotones of nature are constructed of small, vibrating accents of color. A contrast exists between purples and greens, yellows and orange. Another contrast exists between large open areas and the small filled spaces of rich texture, so characteristic of Shaul.
Shaul Shatz has his own personal style. This has developed from his observation of nature and his imagination. The color is expressive while the drawing is impressionist.
This show represents his work of the most recent period.
Ella Klier Ariel 